Electrical connector



@5 MW? .9 f r a, A

i fnve71/Z0r 71 $411411! AZZorn/eys Nov. 21, 1939. w. H. wALLsELECTRICAL CONNECTOR Filed Feb. 23, 1938 Patented Nov. 21, 1939 UNITEDSTATES PATENT OFF-ICE" 2,180,569 nnno'rarcar. comc'ron i Walter 1:.Walls, Darwin, Minn.

Application February 23, 193, Serial No. 192,033 1 Claim. (01. 173-361)This invention relates to separable electrical connectors.

It is the general object of this invention to provide a novel andimproved separable electrical connector of cheap and simple constructionincluding a receiver and a pronged plug and so constructed that when theplug and receiver are connected together they will be locked until itis' intentionally desired to disengage the same.

' Another object of the invention is to provide a separable electricalconnector including a pronged plug and a receiver, the prongs of theplug being lockingly engageable with the receiver and push keys fordisengaging the prongs from the receiver when it is desired to disengagethe connector.

The objects and advantages of the invention will more fully appear fromthe following description, made in connection with the accompanyingdrawing, in which like reference characters refer to the same or similarparts throughout the various views and in which,

Fig. 1 is a view in side elevation of the separable connector as it willappear just prior to the time that the pronged plug is engaged with thereceiver;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal view taken through the engaged separableconnector, the prongs and push keys being shown in one position in fulllines and in another position in dotted lines;

the line 3-3 of Fig. 2, as indicated by the arrows; Fig. 4 is asectional view taken substantially on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2, asindicated by the arrows, and A Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on theline 5-5 of Fig. 2, as indicated by the arrows.

In accordance with the invention, a separable electrical connector isprovided including a receiver designated as an entirety by the letter Aand a plug designated as an letter B.

The receiver A in the illustrated embodiment, consists tor thej mostpart of a body 6 formed of suitable electrical insulating material suchas 'hard rubber, Bakelite, porcelain, etc. The head end of this body 6is provided with apair of spaced prong receiving recesses l, which asthe connector is viewed in Figs. 1 and 2, extend up- 1 wardly from thelower end of the body 15. A

erably molded therein when the body .is cast, project radially towardthe center or the body 6 and part way into the recesses I. An outerelectrical contact 9 has a bar portion lining a part 15 ot the outerwall of one 01: the recesses I and it Fig. 3 is a sectional view takensubstantially on entirety by. the

pair of pins 8 carried by the body 6 and prei.'-'

has a sleeve-like screw threaded portion which fits about the screwthreaded exterior of the upper part of the body 6, as viewed in thedrawing, as is conventional. A. center electrical contact I0 has a barportion lining a part of the 5 outer wall of the other recesses l andit, in turn, is connected to a head II at the central part of theextreme upper end of the body 6, as viewed. Accordingly, the receiver Ais adapted to .be screwed into an ordinary electrical socket to 10 makeelectrical. connection therewith. It will, of course, be appreciatedthat any type of electrical connections can be made between the barportions of the two contacts 9 and I0 and other electrical conductors.

The plug B consists of an outer shell-like casing l2 and an innercylindrical head l3 received therein, both of these parts being formedof suitable electrical insulating material, such as hard rubber,Bakelite, porcelain, etc. At its lower 20 end, as viewed in the drawing,the plug casing l2 tapers to a reduced portion through which a pair ofelectrical wires l4 extend. The upper part of the head B as viewed, isprovided with a pair of diametrically opposed prong receiving notchesI5. 25

Carried by the plug B are a pair of prongs it formed of spring metal.These springs are preferably inserted in the head I 3.at the time thatthe head is molded and in order to prevent shift-- ing movement of theprongs relative to the head iii, the prongs are provided with projectingtabs Ilia pressed therefrom embedded within the head l3. The lower .endsof the prongs l6, which lower ends'are designated IGb, bear against thebottom of the plug I 3, as viewed, and carry screws I! by means of whichthe ends of the wires I4. are connected to the prongs I 6. Recesses iiiare provided in the head l3 to accommodate the screws IT. From theirends lGb the prongs project straight through the head l3 to present 40outwardly extending portions I60 which project well beyond theconnecting end of the plug B. From the outer ends of the outwardly pro.-J'ectmg portion We the prongs it are reversely bent inwardly toforminwardly projecting portions IN), the inner parts of which arereceived within the notches l5. Of course, portions ltd are disposedgreater radial distances from thecentral longitudinal axis of the plug Bthan are the portions I60. Also in producing the reverse o bends-in theprongs It, the portions l6d are. placed under springtension urging theseportions to move radially away from the central longitudinal axis of theplugB into contact with the inner walls of the casing l2. The portionsof the 5'5 prongs l6 joining the portions 16c and ltd are bent as shownin Fig. 2, to form cam surfaces "is causing the portions "id to springin toward the axial center line of the plug by reason of contact of thecam portions Hiewith the pins 8 during receptive movement of the prongsin the prong recesses I of the receiver A. Pin openings [9 are providedin the portions ltd of the prongs to receive the pins 8 when the plug Band receiver A are fully connected with the head ends of each inabutment A pair of press keys 20 are slidably mounted in radial passagesin the casing l2 and these keys have heads which may be pushed into thenotches l and these heads bear against the portions Nib of the prongs.To at times receive the heads of press keys without permitting the headsto project into the notches [5, the inner wall of the casing I2 iscountersunk at the two points 21!. The head I3 is removably connected tothe casing l2 as by a pin 22 which can be driven out of pin openingsthrough the head and casing when it is desired to remove the head fromthe casing.

In connecting a pair-of wires such as the wires 14, to the plug B, thepin 22 is first removed whereupon the head l3 can be removed from thecasing I2 and the ends of the wires It can then be secured to the prongsl6 by means of thescrews H. The head It can then be reinserted in placewithin the casing l2 whereupon the pin 22 may be reinserted. By reasonof the fact that the heads of the push keys 20 may be received withinthe countersunk portions of the casing-i2 located at the points 2| thehead can be easily slid in and out of the casing I2 without interferenceby the push keys 20.

To connect the plug B to the receiver A, it is merely necessary to alinethe prongs IS with the recesses I and push the plug and receivertogether. As this is done the cam portions l6e striking the pins 8 camthe prong portions iBd inwardly against their spring tension until thepin openings [9 aline with the pins 8, whereupon the portions l6d springoutwardly radially to receive the pins 8 within the pin openings {9. The

plug B is then securely locked to the receiver A- and cannot be removedtherefrom until the two pushkeys 20 are pressed inwardly. When it isdesired to'disconnect the connector, it is merely necessary to press thepush keys 20 inwardly thereby swinging the portions Hid of the prongsing the pins 8 from the pin openings 19, whereupon the plug B can bepulled apart from the receiver 'A.

It will be seen that a simple and efllcient locking type of electricalconnector has been provided.

7 It will, of course, be understood that various changes may be made inthe form, details, arrangement and proportions of the various partswithout departing from the scope of the present invention, whichgenerally stated, consists in the matter shown and described and setforth in the appended claim. Y

What is claimed is:

In a separable electrical connector, a plug comprising an outer shell, ablock of insulating mate,- rial in said shell and substantially fillingthe forward portion of the shell, said block having a pair of oppositelydisposed channels open at the front end thereof and at opposite sidesthereof and terminating forwardly of the rear end of said block, a pairof contact bars having rear portions extending through and anchored inthe rear portion of said block, the extreme rear ends of said contactbars being bent against the back of said block and having binding poststhereon, said barsv extending forwardly from the rear .of the block andhaving medial portions lying in the bottoms of said channels, theforward portions of said bars extending forwardly of said block andshell and being reversely bent to bring the outer ends of said bars'into said channels in spaced relation to said medial bar portions, saidforward ends being flexible toward said medial b'ar portions between thewalls of said channels and having apertures therein, and pins slidablymounted in said shell and contacting the forward ends of said bars, saidpins being slidable inwardly with respect to said shell to permitflexing of the ends of said bars inwardly, whereby said bars can bedetachably connected-to projecting portions in a cooperating socketadapted to flt into said bars.

the apertures in the ends of WALTERrI-I. WALLS.

where said projections are,

